Bard

2013-04-26T16:08:12Z

143.195.200.96: /* History */

{{disambig-two|the character in ''[[The Hobbit]]''|the King of Dale in the [[Fourth Age]]|[[Bard II]]}}
{{men infobox
|image=[[File:Angel Falto - Bard.jpg|250px]]
|name=Bard I
|othernames=The Bowman
|birth=
|death={{TA|2977}}
|race=Man ([[Lake-men]])
|gender=Male
|height=
|hair=Dark
|eyes=
}}
{{quote|Arrow! Black arrow! I have saved you to the last. You have never failed me and always I have recovered you. I had you from my father and he from of old. If ever you came from the forges of the true king under the Mountain, go now and speed well!|Bard<ref name="Fire">{{H|Fire}}</ref>}}
'''Bard the Bowman''' (died [[Third Age]] 2977), was a man of [[Lake-town]], and later the restored [[King of Dale]].

==History==
Bard served as a soldier in [[Lake-town]], and was one of the most skilled archers among [[Men]]. He was the heir of [[Girion]], the last [[Lord of Dale|lord]] of [[Dale]]. Noted for his grim face and spirit, he was an able archer and considered his [[Black Arrow]] lucky and always used it last.<ref name="Fire"/>
[[File:Ted Nasmith - The Black Arrow.jpg|thumb|left|[[Ted Nasmith]] - The Black Arrow]]
Bard organized the defense of the town when the [[Dragons|Dragon]] [[Smaug]] attacked. When the old [[thrush]] (who had overheard [[Bilbo Baggins]]' description of [[Smaug]]<ref>{{H|Inside}}</ref>) revealed an unarmoured spot on the Dragon's underside to Bard, he shot the dragon's heart with the Black Arrow. Because of his miraculous shot he was given the epithet "the Bowman" and "the Dragon-slayer".<ref name="Fire"/>
[[File:Ted Nasmith - The Arkenstone.jpg|thumb|[[Bilbo Baggins]] delivers the [[Arkenstone]] to [[Thranduil]] and Bard]]
After the disaster, he led the [[Lake-men]] to the [[Lonely Mountain]] demanding a part of the treasure from the [[Dwarves]].<ref name="Gather">{{H|Gathering}}</ref> The [[Elves of Mirkwood|Wood-elves]] and [[Thranduil]] came to demand their own shares. Seeing [[Thorin II|Thorin]]'s reluctancy to help, [[Bilbo Baggins]] delivered the [[Arkenstone]] to them to bargain with.<ref>{{H|Thief}}</ref> Afterwards, when the [[Orcs]] and [[Wargs]] came, Bard led his Men in the [[Battle of Five Armies]].<ref>{{H|Burst}}</ref>

Bard claimed a fourteenth of the treasure amassed by the dragon,<ref name="Gather"/> which he subsequently shared with the [[Master of Lake-town]] to rebuild the town. However, the Master stole the money and ran off into the wild where he died.<ref>{{H|Stage}}</ref> Three years later, after the rebuilding of the city, Bard became the first [[King of Dale|King]] of restored Dale as a wise and able ruler.<ref name="TA">{{App|TA}}</ref>

He was succeeded by his son, [[Bain]].<ref name="TA"/>

== Etymology ==
As a Lake-man, Bard's name was in the [[language of Dale]], which is represented by [[Old Norse]] in the book.<ref>{{App|F2}}</ref><ref>{{L|144}}</ref> In other Germanic names (such as [[Isembard Took|Isembard]]), ''bard'' refers to ''beard''. This could be either the facial hair, or more likely ''"Battle-Axe"'' (''beard'' is also a term for a part of an axe).

Robert Ireland and [[Ruth S. Noel]], who perhaps overlooked the connection to Old Norse, provide as translations the [[Celtic]] words, ''bárd'' ("guardian")<ref>Robert Ireland, [http://www.quicksilver899.com/Tolkien/LOTR/LOTR_AC.html Lord of the Rings Dictionary, A - C]</ref> and ''bard'' ("poet").<ref>[[Ruth S. Noel]], ''[[The Languages of Tolkien's Middle-earth]]'', "The Languages of Rhovanion"</ref>

== Genealogy ==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree |GIR| |GIR=[[Girion]] ''d. {{TA|2770|n}}''}}
{{familytree | |:| }}
{{familytree | |:| }}
{{familytree| BAR |BAR='''BARD I''' ''d. {{TA|2977|n}}''}}
{{familytree| |!| |}}
{{familytree| BAI |BAI=[[Bain]] ''d. {{TA|3007|n}}''}}
{{familytree| |!| |}}
{{familytree| BRA |BRA=[[Brand]] ''d. {{TA|3019|n}}''}}
{{familytree| |!| |}}
{{familytree| BA2 |BA2=[[Bard II]]}}
{{familytree/end}}
==Other Versions of the Legendarium==
In his original concept of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] intended [[Bilbo Baggins]] to be the slayer of [[Smaug]] the [[Dragons|dragon]], stabbing him in his sleep in his lair in the Lonely Mountain. Tolkien then changed his mind and in a major shift decided that Smaug would die at [[Esgaroth]].<ref>{{HH|PNC}}, pp. 496-497</ref> This necessitated the creation of a hero, Bard, who was revealed to be the descendant of Girion. Having created this dragon-slayer, Tolkien was going to let him die in the wreck of Lake-town.<ref>{{HH|Death}}, p. 549</ref> However, realizing new possibilities for the story, especially having a rightful claimant to part of the dragon's hoard other than the Dwarves, Tolkien kept Bard alive.<ref>{{HH|Death}}, (i) ''Bard the Dragon-Slayer'', p. 555</ref>

==Portrayal in Adaptations==
'''1968: [[The Hobbit (1968 radio series)|''The Hobbit'' (1968 radio series)]]:'''
:Bard is played by [[Peter Williams]].

'''1977: [[The Hobbit (1977 film)|''The Hobbit'' (1977 film)]]:'''
:Bard's voice is provided by [[John Stephenson]].

'''1979: [[The Hobbit (1979 radio series)|''The Hobbit'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:No actor is specified for the role of Bard.

'''2003: [[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (2003 video game)]]:'''
:No actor is credited for the part of [[Bard]], but it appears to be [[André Sogliuzzo]]. He is portrayed as the Captain of the guard, a stout black haired man with a full beard. Bilbo helps him retrieve the [[Black Arrow]] and stop a gang of Orcs and men from taking over Laketown.

'''2012-14: [[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'' (film series)]]:'''
:[[Luke Evans]] is set to portray Bard.<ref name="PJCasting">{{webcite|author=[[Peter Jackson]]|articleurl=http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150286515141558|articlename=The Hobbit Casting Update|dated=19-June-2011|website=[http://www.facebook.com/ Facebook]|accessed=23-Dec-2011}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[:Category:Images of Bard|Images of Bard]]

{{references}}

{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=men
| house=Heir of [[Girion]], [[Lord of Dale]]
| born=?
| died={{TA|2977}}
}}
{{seq
| prow=
| pvac=None
| prev=Title established
| list=[[King of Dale]]
| dates={{TA|2944}}-{{TA|2977}}
| next=[[Bain]]
| nvac=
| nrow=
}}
{{seq-end}}

[[Category:Northmen]]
[[Category:Rulers of Dale]]
[[Category:Characters in The Hobbit]]
[[de:Bard I.]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:hommes:3a:hommes_du_nord:daliens:bard]]
[[fi:Bard Jousimies]]

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Bard